Chapter 20: You’re Not Expecting Me to Climb Up, Are You?

It wasn't until Li Huan and Tom had completely left that Siegfried finally breathed a sigh of relief.

'What just happened? That cat actually noticed me?' Siegfried's mind was filled with shock.

As a super soldier of the Kaslana family, who had fought on the front lines against the Honkai, Siegfried had undergone rigorous training and brutal battles. His innate and cultivated combat instincts, along with years of mission experience, made him confident that most beings in the world wouldn't be able to detect him when he chose to hide.

Although his stealth might not rival the specialized forces of Schicksal, he was still certain of his abilities.

But today, that cat actually saw him.

It was truly an incredible thing.

Siegfried admits that he might have let his guard down for a split second when he was about to move to a different location, that cat seemed to have caught that exact moment and looked directly at him.

At that moment, a thought flashed in his mind. 'Could that cat be a new type of Honkai beast?'

If the cat was indeed a new type of Honkai beast, it would make sense.

After all, how could an ordinary cat survive in a place overflowing with Honkai energy?

There were no other possibilities except that it was a Honkai beast!

But then came the question: that Honkai beast seemed to listen to that man very well...

'This guy... definitely isn't ordinary!'

Although it wasn't clear whether he was from Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, or... them...

Siegfried instinctively clutched at his severed arm, feeling a phantom pain, as memories of a past he wished to forget surfaced in his mind.

'If they were from Schicksal or Anti-Entropy, that would be manageable. But if they were from "them," Kiana would be in danger.'

'No, he wouldn't let that happen.'

A flash of dark purple light crossed Siegfried's eyes.

'Even if it cost him his life... he would stop those people.'

Siegfried's figure faded into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the second-year teaching building, another figure appeared.

Under the moonlight, the figure's true form was revealed—a beautiful woman dressed in dark green armor with short silver-gray hair.

An electronic screen, visible only to her, appeared in front of her. Displayed on the screen was an image of a blond man dressed in luxurious clothes.

This man was Otto, the highest leader of Schicksal, the world's largest secret organization that outwardly claimed to protect humanity from the Honkai.

"Lord Otto," the woman reported respectfully, "Rita here, reporting that K423 has encountered some unusual individuals."

"Oh? What kind of unusual individuals?" Otto asked, folding his hands.

"A man and a cat," she replied.

Otto raised an eyebrow. "A cat and a man in the epicenter of a Honkai outbreak, yet they haven't turned into zombies or Honkai beasts... That is interesting."

"Lord Otto, what should we do next?" Rita asked.

"Continue observing them. I've become quite intrigued," Otto instructed.

"Yes, sir," Rita said, curtseying in acknowledgment.

A cloud drifted over, obscuring the moonlight. When the cloud moved away, the figure on the rooftop had vanished.

'Achoo!' x2

For some reason, Li Huan suddenly sneezed, and Tom sneezed simultaneously.

"What's wrong with you two? Are you catching a cold?" Kiana quickly stepped aside, avoiding their sneezes, and said with a look of disgust, "If you're sick, stay away from me."

Li Huan wiped his nose. "How could I be? I'm in great health."

Tom also shook his head rapidly, denying the possibility.

'Maybe someone's talking about you,' Kiana suggested.

Li Huan and Tom exchanged glances and then simultaneously shook their heads in denial.

'How could that be? We just arrived here today. Who would even know us?'

Kiana, seeing them shake their heads, shrugged and continued walking ahead. Li Huan and Tom instinctively followed behind her.

Earlier, when they were heading downstairs, they had encountered a few zombies loitering at the entrance. Kiana had taken care of them all.

With her twin guns out and the trigger pulled, those creatures were all taken down cleanly.

Every shot was a headshot, every shot was lethal. Within less than a minute, all the zombies had been cleared out.

Li Huan and Tom had exchanged a glance at that moment, understanding one thing.

'It was a good thing they had reached a cooperation agreement with Kiana; otherwise, being her enemy would have been unwise.'

'But, as unwise as it might be, it wasn't like they had any better options.'

'Besides,' Li Huan felt more at ease. 'With Kiana leading the way and clearing the path, all they had to do was follow her, which was both time-saving and effortless.'

Moreover, Li Huan's impression of Kiana had improved somewhat. She had been very cooperative and serious in helping them, showing that she was someone who kept her word.

"We've arrived," Kiana suddenly stopped.

Li Huan stopped as well and looked around.

They seemed to have reached the back of a building, where only three or four zombies were lingering.

"Look, we're here," Kiana pointed to a window on the third floor. "That's the school's computer lab, where we have computer classes."

"Wait, this doesn't look like the main entrance," Li Huan observed.

"Of course, it's not. This is the back," Kiana replied.

Looking at the building, Li Huan suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute, don't tell me you expect me to climb up there?"

Kiana nodded.

'You've got to be kidding me. Why not just take us through the front? Didn't you just single-handedly wipe out all the zombies in the second-year building?' Li Huan protested.

"That was different," Kiana crossed her arms and said unhappily. "I was alone then, so I could fight freely. But now it's different; I have to ensure your safety, so I can't do what I did before."

"From a safety and convenience standpoint, it's easier to climb up from here," Kiana explained as she twirled a strand of her hair. "Besides, if you can't even handle something this simple, I'll have to reassess our partnership."

'Simple... You think everyone's a super soldier like you,' Li Huan thought, his mouth twitching.

He then asked the crucial question, "There aren't any zombies inside, right?"

"No, the computer lab door is locked at night."

"Alright then," Li Huan sighed, resigned. He beckoned to Tom, "Tom, come with me."